My Life: Unscripted

Two new chapters

2011-04-07T13:40:00.002-05:00

So we'll be introducing the next Baby Hunt sometime early June. We're excited and ready! In good Monte & Amy fashion, we did not find out the gender of this baby either. However, both of us are totally convinced it's a girl. Symptoms are different and I've only gained 15 lbs! I was about 20 at this point with Gibson. I know it's not exact science, but that's our gut instinct.

Also, I've been really stepping up my game and working, working, working my Mary Kay business. I keep asking myself, "Why did I ever stop being proactive with it?" I have to kick myself and then move on. It's amazing what a little hard work and perseverance will do for you. Maybe it's because now I've got a different perspective of hard work with being a mom. Maybe it's because it's the American way. I don't know. But whatever it is I like it and I'm pumped! Yea!

Politics or Morality?

2010-12-23T11:42:00.002-06:00

I've been perplexed lately. Politics play a huge part in American society. In fact, next to only money and religion, it's quite an emotional topic. One part of politics, especially in America, is the general assumption that our representatives act with morality in mind. Not so. In fact, most polls show that Americans now realize how out of touch our federal government truly is. Americans are living on tight budgets and are scared to enjoy they're earnings as they did in years past all due to poor choices of government over years and years of so called "service." As any good coach would say, you've got to get back to basics to become stronger. That means fundamentals.

I played lots of sports and that was always the biggest part of practice. Despite their elementary nature, they were key and MANDATORY to improve our game. When we weren't focusing on the fundamentals of the sport, our game would fall apart. It's the same principle with politics. Our country has gotten so comfy & cozy with our federal government slowly but surely creeping it's greedy and controlling fingers into our personal lives due to the supposed "benefits" we receive in return. CRAP! It's a trap and a joke. I am much more capable of taking care of myself and my family and even others in need around me than the federal government. Why, oh why, are there still thousands and thousands of charities who have to help those in need when our government claims to use our tax dollars to do so? If they do such a great job, why are charities still in such high demand? Why? It all comes down to morality. Those in power in DC don't use morality in their justification for using our tax dollars toward programs that are intended to aid those in need. The basis of these programs sounds awesome and so helpful; yet the government has proven over and over again that more revenue and more power only breeds its own. More power and money = more government positions, reelection emphases overshadowing the people's needs, and more distance between the minds of representatives and the public. It's been repeated time and time again. Moral restraint is not practiced across the board in our economy or in DC. The rhetoric claims that morality is the basis on which they propose and legislate. However, Americans have gotten wise to their double talk. Our president speaks from both sides of his mouth on a regular basis, as well as Pelosi, Michelle, and the rest. And that isn't just Democrats I speak of. There are plenty of Republicans who do the same. My main beef with the Obamas right now is that they live lavishly and spend exuberantly even though they both speak of the "hard times" we're all facing and how we all have to "tighten our belts." That's hardly been lived out by our leaders. I haven't heard of one super wealthy representative resign his/her salary and pension. Most people in the House & Senate DON'T need to be paid. Many are independently wealthy. The two Democratic leaders are both extremely wealthy and still use our tax dollars to subsist in DC. Pelosi flies around on military jets on personal business and puts it on our tab. Are they living out what they've been preaching? No! It all boils down to morality. They are deluded with their sense of self and entitlement for their "service." If they truly want to be a public servant, they need to quit allowing themselves to be pampered. They live lavishly and then over promise meeting needs and wants of Americans just to get reelected. It's all bogus.

When you need to get down to basics, you have to go back to the very beginning at square one, so to speak. For America, it's the founding documents, which clearly state the LIMITED role of government. We have strayed so far from the basics, which were brilliantly compiled by those who were truly oppressed by their government. It's a shame that we choose not to learn from history. So many other countries have been ruled the way ours is trying (without direct mention but with subtle, deliberate action) that have fallen or are truly broken. Why would we allow our great nation that is based on true freedom to crumble under the guise of receiving "benefits" from our federal government? Again, it's a trap. True freedom means they can't tell me what to do and that I'm responsible for my actions, which includes caring for my own and myself.

The federal government in the US has now started attacks on free speech that share opinions other than those of the current administration. Now that is NOT an attribute of a free country. Freedom of speech means freedom of speech no matter what is said. If you don't like it, don't listen. Simple. It's your choice. It's called freedom. If you don't want your kids to eat McDonald's, tell them no. It's your choice. It's not anyone else's fault when YOU make a CHOICE. I can't say this enough. Our society has gotten so used to passing blame and getting lawsuit happy. True freedom means personal responsibility. It's a moral principle that was infused into our documents for good reason. Our leaders took human nature into account when designing our great Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and Constitution. They knew what would inspire individuals to greatness in spite of their shortcomings. Morality was to overcome those. And our country has allowed for great strides in moral accomplishment and personal freedom - abolition of slavery, minorities as equals, etc. However, our government started to get a bit too extravagant in its attempt to appease the masses and started a huge decline opposite of morality & personal freedom - abortion, social security, income taxes, prohibition, etc. All of these are under the guise of "it's your right" to have (fill in the blank) or it's the government's responsibility to (fill in the blank). No, it's your right to choose to do it for yourself if you want it. The only rights we are guaranteed in our founding documents are the right to life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness along with the rights to bear arms, speak freely, practice religion, and so on. There are no rights to not be offended, have any of your bills paid, or have a job. Yet, organizations out there are super touchy on suing anyone who steps on toes to make a scene and get publicity without taking the responsible and moral stance to forgive and/or ignore. I don't like offensive words, but every American has the right to say them no matter what. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it deserves to be legislated against. Grow up!

Morality and personal freedom have to be in a great balance for our country to be at peace. However, immorality is praised and rewarded with millions. The government so graciously gave us the "right" to terminate a pregnancy even though our First Lady wants to be able to tell us what we can and can't feed our kids. I'm sorry. That's a perfect example of morality and personal freedom not being in balance. It's quite a delicate balance, too. If you've ever been exposed to the pain of a woman who has experienced an abortion and is contemplating suicide for her choice, you would think much, much differently about this "right." It's a selfish and savage right that only puts a bandaid on the lack of personal respobsibilty and morality that should have been taught. I have spoken to several women who are in a very hard situation due to unwanted/unplanned pregnancies. Abortion never cures the problems. In most cases, it just compounds them and leaves a woman broken and confused. It's amazing the gratitude of a woman who could think of no other option but abortion for her specific situation who was enlightened with factual scientific and medical information, as well as a loving and warm welcome despite her choices, once her baby is born. The payoff of a hard choice is blissful. It's not an easy road but so worth it. Why do we push the "right" to terminate instead of the right to be informed of all the options? It's approached from a terribly political perspective and not one from a moral sense of freedom.

That was just an example that is a soapbox of mine. I know, I know. You've heard it before. The gist of my rant is that if we don't teach each child to be responsible and reteach each adult who can't seem to live responsibly as opposed to just pushing rights and entitlements, our country will descend to a selfishly motivated sespool of "rights" with nothing to show for it but millions of discontent and whining babies regardless of age. It all starts at home and in your personal choices. I'm aiming to do my part. I hope you are, too! Our country depends on it.

Gibson's almost 1!

2010-09-30T21:32:00.003-05:00

So the child is walking and almost one. He's just shy of a full year old! Oh, my. How did it fly past so quickly? I'm remembering to seize each moment and ponder them in my heart. Ah! I love this kid! Motherhood has brought out a huge dose of tenderness in me that I never knew I had. God bless this experience! You are good. I'm also the new VR Program Coordinator for LifeChoices, which means I plan when schools have VR classes and who is teaching them. I still get to teach - a bonus. I love it and don't want to stop. However, I had to give up being a volunteer counseling pregnancy clients. This is good, though, because it's helping taking some financial burden off of Monte.

With his birthday approaching it means that I'm only 4 weeks away from mine. I'll be starting the last year of my twenties. And I love it! Marriage is good, parenting is a daily challenge, Gibson makes my heart flutter and act like a complete sentimental goob, and I am confident that God loves us. I'm on the alert though. It seems at times like these Satan finds a way to trample on my bliss. I'm staying prayed up.

Ironically, my birthday is on the mid-term election day where the USA will probably be changing the landscape of Congress and many governorships across the country. It's exciting! So many are actually paying attention to the politicians and listening and holding them accountable. Yay! That is a great birthday present. Now I'm praying that Christians will do the same with their church leaders and personal faith. I am ready to celebrate real change. Plus, last election day I had surgery after a miscarriage that wouldn't pass. And then the election results rolled in. Very bad day!

My hope for the USA is to be great again by the results of our hard work and personal responsibility. A few basic principles make the USA unique and exceptional - not the people. And they are found in the Constitution, which is an amazing document. Monte & I have read it again in the past few months to make sure we weren't misspeaking when discussing the facts. I encourage everyone else to do the same. It's amazing how many "educated" people get the facts wrong and then spout them all over the airwaves to ignorant & obliging minions. I'll leave it at that; otherwise, I'll get on my soapbox, which will make for a very long blog post!

Our lives are grand and so precious. I'm excited about what is to come and how God will mold me toward His glory.

Gibson 8 mos., by Amy Hunt

2010-08-06T14:25:00.001-05:00

I'd like to share my Walmart Digital Photo Center photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

Craziness in the world

2010-07-15T10:00:00.002-05:00

So I've been trying to stay up on current events and finding it harder and harder to rely on the typical 3 networks to do so. There are several serious things being said and movements that are full of hate that aren't being reported via NBC, CBS, & ABC. Shame, really. We don't have cable. So now I'm fully aware of other news websites and lots of talk radio. What I find so crazy is how offended so many people are when someone on their side is criticized. I'm a firm believe that if you need to be criticized, then buck up and take it, especially when in a place of power. And part of that position is to be receptive on neutral grounds. Our president, like many other presidents on both political sides, is very defensive when criticized. It's over 1.5 years into his term and life here in the USA is not getting any better, and he's still blaming "the past administration." I'm sorry. Whenever I would blame my brother and sister over and over again, my parents would let me have it. How is it okay for President Obama to keep passing blame? Well, it's not. And he's an adult who chose to run for president and won. So buck up, buddy. It's time to put on your big boy pants and govern like a responsible adult. Even President Clinton, who is almost as liberal as Obama, found a way to govern from a more centric position with a Republican Congress. I guess, politically, he had to. But, all the same, it was a great move for our country. The budget was balanced, welfare was reformed, and the list goes on. President Obama isn't learning from the past, which frightens me. Every great country has fallen due to repeating history. It's a simple concept that I believe pride prevents from soaking in to political thought.

It's also a shame that almost all politicians are more concerned with reelection and saving face than governing, legislating, judging, etc. according to our founding documents. Really? Monte and I have recently read the Constitution. It's pretty overwhelming how far from it most politicians have gone. That's on both sides. We, as Americans, have let them drift without any threat of being checked or voted out. We have been complacent and did not want to do any homework to make sure we were on the right track. That's everybody as a whole to blame. We liked where we were and wanted our way. When we didn't get it, we voted to an extreme opposite instead of finding out who was really there to serve publicly. And that's what it's supposed to be...public service. Why are they getting rich off of it? And they, as a whole, aren't any good at their jobs? We need to wake up, clean it out, and get back to a place where the USA is a leader for true freedom and a democratic republic. And our politicians need to listen to the voices of their constituents. We are the boss of them. We need to remind them that they are representing us and not their personal side of things.

Life is too short to let the ideals of the USA to fall to socialistic plans. With freedom comes hard work and taking care of yourself. You don't like that responsibility, find a place that will take care of you. But beware. They want power over you too. You can't have freedom and a free meal ticket. The two directly contradict each other. I'll take care of my family and myself. You take care of yours. And we'll all enjoy the freedom to do so. I hope God will continue to bless America. When will we learn that the freedom we enjoy came from Him and is innately all people's everywhere? I give thanks and will teach Gibson and all future children to do the same. I love being in a free land. I just hope it lasts and lasts.

On a much lighter note, Gibson is now the proud owner of 2 teeth. He's enjoying feeding himself all sorts of things. He especially enjoys watermelon and cottage cheese, separately is not necessary. Monte is busy with weekend services and all the planning and prep that goes into them. He just started his own Facebook page. Look him up and friend him. He'd like that. We are heading to the McCoy Family Reunion next week down in north central AR. I'm looking forward to that. There will be 35 of us and many are quite eager and competent babysitters. Oh, yes. I will enjoy that. Gibson has new adventures in crawling everyday. He really likes the dog bones. This has been a major point of discipline. I shouldn't move them since they are in a place where the girls can reach them. So Gib just has to learn they are off limits to him. He has been quite persistent in his attempts with a few times where Momma has had to intervene. Not fun. He's also starting to pull up. It's mainly just to his knees now, but he has once gone to his feet! Already! I'm not ready for walking yet. I hope he sticks to cruising around furniture for a while. He's also found his toy basket. He enjoys pulling it over and letting the toys tumble into his face. Fun but energy sapping. Good thing I'm staying fit.

That's it for now. Thanks for visiting!

Summer Fun

2010-06-08T10:31:00.002-05:00

Lots and lots of summer fun. We just returned from a 9 day journey that led us to Louisville, KY to visit our dear friends, the Semenicks. We got to cuddle and coo with Baby Gabe, who is now 11 weeks old. He's a big kid - long and strong! He's got the crazy old man hair thing right now. Love it! Max and Sara are doing well and obviously elated every day they get to love that little guy. God is good! Then, we trekked to Myrtle Beach, SC. Gibson did amazingly well in the car despite not sleeping much. Since he prefers the tummy, the carseat offered him little sleeping comfort. Too bad there isn't a contraption that keeps babies safe while sleeping on their tummies. Gibson would be a happy kid! Myrtle Beach was beautiful and warm. We got to spend some great time with most of Monte's side of the family. It was fun to see all the energy in our nieces and nephews as they played in the ocean most of every day. It wore me out! Now we're home and back to normalcy. Whatever that is!

Gibson is well into his new adventure of eating solids. He loves his spoon and cup even though he doesn't really attain any nourishment from these tools on his own. He's still perfecting those abilities. He's getting the hang of picking things up with his pincer grasp. It's fun to see all the concentration that goes into putting the pointer finger and thumb together. I make most of his baby food, which is a good way to save some cash considering how much he likes to eat.

I've posted more pics at our website. www.hunttrio.shutterfly.com. Enjoy!

New People To Love

2010-05-19T16:23:00.003-05:00

So there are some new people in my life to love. Most were expected like Jani's baby, Anke, Sara Semenick's baby, Gabriel, Sara Conley's baby, Darcy, and the list grows on of all the friends of mine who are expecting. However, there was a little bundle of love that joined my family all of a sudden. But what a great surprise! My sister, Sarah, and her husband, Nathan, were privileged and beaming with pride to take home a little baby girl who needed a great home and some super great parents! Elizabeth Kay Reyna was born April 8th and joined their home on the 13th. They just went to court yesterday where everything is now legal and complete! She's theirs on paper as well as in their hearts. Yay! Loving a baby is a whole different ballgame. People always told me that before. I would usually look at them and give them a polite smile. But now I know. How dare I assumed I knew better? This weekend Gibson and I are traveling down to Arkansas to see the family and celebrate with one of four showers for Elizabeth. Monte, of course, will be working with the church and leading the services' music, which means he will not be joining us. Plus, we're heading to Myrtle Beach, SC next weekend and get to stop in and see the Semenicks on our way. I've taken a huge breath of relief now that the school year is over. I never realized how crazy I would feel tackling a few hours a day teaching sex ed and trying to get Gibson cared for and dropped off and all that. Madness! I'm sure this fall will be much simpler since he'll almost be weaned and can fend more for himself in the eating department. I'm super glad I don't have a 40 hr/wk job anymore. I'd lose it or be a gigantic mess! This summer brings vacation, a family reunion, a 10 year high school reunion, and hopefully lots of swimming! I'm stocked with swim diapers for Gib. Love you all and make today your greatest!

Friends

2010-02-23T12:24:00.003-06:00

I have a really great friend who just celebrated a birthday Sunday. Sara L. Hill is a wonderful and glorious friend. I cherish our times of just us. Well, Gibson joins us most times. But you know what I mean. I was able to bless her with a Panera birthday breakfast a couple days before her actual birthday. It's amazing how much a yummy bagel, all toasty and spread with cream cheese, and a cup of coffee accompanied by good conversation and company can heal the soul and refresh even the ickiest of moods. Mmmm...it was delightful.

Another great friend, Sara Mitchell Semenick. Yes, Sara. Another one. In fact, the next friend to write about is yet another Sara. But Sara Semenick is expecting their first baby March 16th - a boy. I'm pumped and SO ready to go visit when he's a few weeks old once family has had their initial fill. Gibson and I will probably pack up and head out to Louisville. Not sure if Monte can come and I'm contemplating having my mom or someone else come with me to help with Gibson and driving. P.S. Did you know that nursing in the car is legal in some states? Just found that out. Sara Semenick and I go way back to my sophomore year of college. We were blessed to spend two years together at college as best buds and volleyball teammates. We've been mega close every since. She and her hubby, Max, were able to visit when Gibson was 5 weeks old. They bought him his Boppy, which we LOVE!

Last Sara for the day. Sara Conley, formerly Sara Cable, is also pregnant due early April. This Sara is having a girl, little Darcy Elizabeth. I was blessed that she had a shower here in Joplin that I could attend. It was not good for me to see all the precious baby girl stuff. All these pregnant friends are bad for my agreement to wait til Gib is at least a year before we discuss another one. Ack! But I have thoroughly enjoyed hearing about all the different things she and all 8 other pregnant friends are experiencing. This Sara is basically a walking complication. I won't breach her privacy on her health issues, but pregnancy has definitely brought out some quirks for her body to handle. She and Brad are anxiously awaiting the arrival while cherishing and loving every moment she's still in utero.

Last friend - JANI BRAVENBOER. Ya know, I miss this girl the most because it's been over 2 years since I've seen her, hugged her, and shared with her face to face. Jani and Martin, who are also expecting a girl but on March 16th, had to move back to South Africa Dec. 11, 2007. (Heavy sigh...) However, life back home has been good to them and I pray that God continues to use them for His purposes day in and day out. Their new ministry of being parents will be mind blowing, I'm sure! It is different once experienced and it's worth every ache, pain, sickness, or contraction. Oh, man, is it! I pray for Jani very often and want to see her again. I know it will happen. It's just a matter of when. We'll see.

God is good, right? I have 5 other friends who are expecting. Yes, 5. Again, not good on the whole waiting to have another kid goal. Monte keeps me in check. He's not as eager to get back into the fertility freedom stage as I am. Alas, Gibson deserves to have me for a while all to himself. I'm sure I'll be better equipped to have another with giving him this time too. So long for now!

Love, Sweet, Love

2010-02-18T16:56:00.002-06:00

So Valentine's Day came and went. No big deal for us. We love each other every day! Actually, neither one of us is big on gifts and big displays of thoughtfulness that requires money we'd rather spend on something useful or to eat. Monte is glad I don't care about flowers or candy or any gifts, really. I don't like shopping, although now I get a kick out of how many great deals I get when buying baby stuff for Gibson. Exciting life, I know.

Gibson now sleeps consistently til 6:30. I'm being very patient in getting him to 7 am at least. He would make things MUCH easier if he slept til then. I think he's also ready to be on a 4 hour routine and get 4 feedings each day. Right now he does 5, but it's a short feeding. Trial and error are key to good parenting. You try it, assess, take notes, and make a decision. Luckily, my baby Bible has been BabyWise, and I'm so grateful. I'm constantly referencing it to make sure I'm within normal expectations on nap times, # of naps, hours of nighttime sleep, # of feedings, etc.

Also, Gib made his 4 mo. appearance at Dr. Holmes' office last Friday. He wasn't quite close to 17 lbs. I thought for sure I saw the scale correctly at our neighbors' house a couple weeks ago. But I was wrong. He weighed in at 15 lbs 10 oz. Still quite above "average" for 4 months old. He's healthy and that's what matters. He was like 25 3/4" long too.

Now, about shots. I was prepared for the worst this time. Last time, Gibson screamed and cried and cried and cried. He looked at me and stuck out his lip and his eyes seemed to be asking, "Why, Mommy? Why is this mean nurse lady stabbing needles into my thighs?" Heart wrenching! I was on the verge of tears. And you all know that I'm NOT a crier. Whew! Awful. But this time, he whimpered a little bit with each shot and that was it! As soon as she was done, he recovered in mere seconds. I was highly relieved.

Just read the last Harry Potter - The Deathly Hallows. It was good. Now I'm ready to see the cinematography challenge of bringing it to life. There will be quite a bit to see. Oh, and I'm way behind the norms and watched Twilight for the first time yesterday. It was alright. I've been told that the books are much better and that the second film was made much better than the first. I have to decide if I want to commit to reading the books first. What do you guys say? Anyone read them?

Enjoy your weekend. I'm off to figure out dinner. Love you all!

Update

2010-02-08T16:15:00.005-06:00

It's been a while. Apologies to all those who keep up. I'm sure it's a whopping two or three people! No matter how few, you are important. Gibson is now 4 months old. He's like 17 lbs and growing at a ridiculous rate. We've tried a little cereal every now and then, but he doesn't seem to NEED it. I thought he did, but that idea has fizzled out. He sleeps like 10 hours at night with or without cereal. Sometimes I'm lucky and he sleeps 11 hours and wakes up at 7. It seems no matter how many days I let him fuss til 6:30 he will still wake up at 6. I guess I'll just wait til he gets older for him to sleep longer. I'm heading back to teaching Virtuous Reality next week. I'm pumped. I get to kick it off by doing the girls' STI slides. Favorite! Last time I did them, I had a couple girls in class quietly crying. It broke my heart. They never did share with my why so I just prayed for them. I started back to LifeChoices 3 weeks ago. Right off the bat, I had a client who said that she had to have an abortion even though she would never tell anyone else to do it. Her mother was distraught over this decision and she said that she was unsure of how her mom could love her after she goes through with it. Even after an ultrasound and seeing the miraculous flicker of the heartbeat, she was still determined. I just kept praying. Only God knows what's going on in her heart and mind right now. I just saw the pain she was experiencing and wondered why we even let people have this choice. Yeah, pregnancy is hard and raising a kid is even harder. But living with the memory and pain of getting rid of the life created, whether good timing or not, is exponentially harder from what those who've had them have shared. God is so much bigger than those problems yet He chooses to be a part of every one of them. He welcomes those babies into his arms just like he did ours back in Oct. '08. Luckily for them, He does a much better job than any parent here can. His love is perfect and whole, rich and full, abundant and overflowing. And with the birth of Gibson and the loss of our first baby, I've become very emotional when it comes to them. The first time Gibson decides he doesn't need me or want me and shows it I'm going to secretly fall to pieces. I hear him stirring in the other room. He's so cute. He's dreaming or trying to get through a light sleep stage. He'll be wriggling around and trying to find his hands all while his eyes are closed. The other night we looked in on him and he was curled up on his left side with his little hands nestled in front of his face. Precious! Enjoy the pics!

Quick Update

2009-11-15T08:05:00.002-06:00

For any readers who don't follow my Facebook, here's a quick update. Gibson Liam Hunt was born on October 5 at 1:26 pm. He was a whopping 8 lbs and 3 oz and 21 inches long. And they all said that my baby was going to be tiny! Yeah, right! I think even if he had been 6 lbs he still would have seemed huge. Delivering a child is no easy matter. So he's now 6 weeks old and getting cuter by the day. The recent milestone is his once a night feeding instead of two or three. Such a blessing! Ambitious eaters make for good sleepers. I thank Baby Wise for giving me excellent parenting concepts for a newborn to help establish a routine. His metabolism and sleep patterns are pretty set now and it's making for a more predictable day, which includes at least one nap for me too. And I have four friends (yes, 4!) who are all pregnant and due in mid March or early April! I will say there are one or two that I wish were also pregnant, but that's not my decision and I would never coerce anyone who wasn't sure into parenting. It's not for the uncertain if you want to do it well. So congratulations, ladies! I know you are all at the point of diagnostic ultrasounds and finding out the genders. So far - 2 girls and 1 boy. I haven't heard on the 4th one yet.

As for Monte, he's been very busy. Not only is he enjoying the short blips of time with Gibson in between feedings and naps, he's constantly working. If he's not at BioLife for his day job, then he's here or at the Forest Park North campus doing something for the church. Things are gaining stability with the worship ministry as he has found a good chunk of musicians and vocalists to round out the schedule. This is particularly challenging since there are 4 services every weekend (2 Saturday and 2 Sunday) for which he has to lead and find volunteers to play and sing. He's got a system now that seems to be working where he can insert more of his musical friends from other churches by having them play mostly on Saturday nights so as not to interfere with their regular church attendance and service. That also makes for twice as many people to line up, but so far so good. Please pray that his ministry will continue to grow and minister to those who attend.

I said quick, right? Whatever! We're excited for the holidays to see family and friends and for them all to meet Gibson. There are 3 new boys to the Hunt/McSpadden side of our family. Gibson will have some good playmates as he grows up! Enjoy the picture!

Baby Hunt's Imminent Arrival

2009-09-28T21:21:00.002-05:00

I've got just a week and 5 days until I'm due with Baby Hunt. The last two doctor's appts have been encouraging for a first timer since my body is already more than halfway ready to deliver. Unfortunately, this baby loves the womb and doesn't seem to have any plans of coming out until he/she is good and ready. So here's the scoop: last Thursday I was dilated to between 4 and 5 cm, 70% effaced and at +1 station, which is the position of Baby's head in my pelvis with +5 being crowning I'm pretty sure. Birthing class made all that information so much more understandable. Monte and I feel much more confident in our labor and delivery knowledge now that we took the class. All those who are expecting - take the class! Of course, you don't have to until much later in your pregnancy. Take it too early and you might forget some valuable info.

Of course, with this kind of progression already taking place in my body might indicate a much shorter labor. So I was advised to be very aware of when contractions start becoming regular and 5 minutes apart to make our way to the hospital since I'm not nearly as far from transition as most first timers. I definitely don't want to deliver in the car! Monte would flip out!

Be sure and check out pictures of the nursery and my belly pics with Allyson Neely on my Facebook. I'll announce the news when it comes!

Patriotism

2009-08-31T18:11:00.002-05:00

It's becoming more and more apparent that many, if not most, young adults have a serious lack or void of patriotism towards the USA. I totally understand not loving what our country has become or what our country sometimes portrays to the rest of the world. However, patriotism has nothing to do with the current status of our country. It has everything to do with believing in your country's deepest core values and what your country has accomplished. Supporting and loving your country doesn't mean that you have to condone what your country has done or else no one on the whole world would be patriotic towards their country. Every country has it's black marks on history and many bad choices that have caused many hurts. We are privy to know about all of ours since we live here and have news at our fingertips, as well as living experience. Other countries have long lists of things to not be proud of too, and I bet their citizens are well aware of those things.

I've heard a few people express distaste with American flags being in their churches. How? Without what this country was founded on and the freedom that was fought for we wouldn't have church buildings that were publicly known at all, much less put a flag up in them. I get the idea that our faith is not based in America but in Christ. Agree. However, the separation of church and state is misrepresented in our society as being a strict standard that nothing church related whatsoever can be a part of government. If you check your history and the amendment that discusses the matter, you'll see that it's strictly to prevent a theocracy, which is a church run government. We're no where close to that. And groups like the ACLU have misrepresented and manipulated people's ignorance of our constitution in order to take suits against groups who happen to be patriotic and faith based. I heard a great line that says, "Our constitution allows for freedom of religion, not freedom from religion." And somehow some of our officials, who are supposed to be public servants, are more apologetic to religious groups that aren't Christian and hostile towards those that are. How is that fair?

So fewer American Christians who believe in the principles of our great nation only weaken our ability to continue to practice freely. The next generations will become less and less passionate about what our flag and founding documents stand for as young adults today become more apathetic in their conviction to stand up for our being a nation reverent to God in our origins. Not every Christian needs to sing patriotic songs in church in order to be considered patriotic. But the idea of church being a place unfit for our expression of patriotism is ludicrous. It's just a token of appreciation. Allegiance first and foremost to God and then to country.

And then there's the flip side. Many of these unpatriotic young adult Christians that I've met don't allow their moral convictions brought about by their faith in God to bleed over into politics. It seems that while trying to be more loyal to Christ by leaving patriotism out of church they are less loyal to Christ and His teachings when going to vote. Am I the only one who finds this to be an oxymoron? I personally don't see a better way to reflect your faith in God being an American than voting based on your moral convictions in every election. Allegiance first and foremost to God then to country. Sometimes it seems that while having good intentions many young adults who are Christians start seeing things through a social worldview instead of a Godly worldview. Partly to blame is probably ignorance of both the Bible and our founding documents. Another part might be the reaction to our issues with strictly emotion. I can understand getting pretty ticked off and wanting things to change. But many time being ticked off only leads us to staying ticked off without any results.

Due to bringing a child into the world soon, many of these issues have wandered into my mind. I've been thinking about how we'll someday be influencing this child on how to serve God and be the best Christian by serving our community. Having a kid kinda slaps you in the face with self evaluation and criticism. Whew! Okay, I'm done. Hope I made some sort of sense.

Life is good.

2009-08-12T11:08:00.002-05:00

So I have some more kudos to send out for my shower. Rachel Brown and Sarah Neldeberg - thanks a ton! I know that these 4 ladies doing the planning will make it a great experience. I'm blessed.

Plus, I have two very close friends who are also expecting now. What a joy! I still have a couple people who are hoping for the blessing of children very soon. They are constantly in my prayers.

Be sure to enjoy everyday as a gift. You never know what the next day may hold. Key word right now - cherish. Makes me think of the Madonna song. Ha!

Baby Shower On the Way

2009-08-06T19:37:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my good friend, Allyson Neely, Baby Hunt will be showered with gifts pre-birth! And I hope that most of the necessities and extremely helpful items will show up. Thanks also to my other good friend, Sara Hill. She is also helping. It's good to know they are willing to put forth the effort. Thanks, ladies! You're great and I'm so grateful.

Baby Shower Etiquette

2009-07-30T09:34:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I'm at a loss for the etiquette behind baby showers. I know that I was expected to throw a shower for my sister in law before she and my brother got married and that was fine. I was the closer sister, Sarah living in TX at the time, and my mom shouldn't have to throw a shower when she was already paying for a bunch of wedding stuff. I'm cool with that, and I understood my duty and privilege to throw that party. She got some great kitchen stuff! Pampered Bride parties are awesome. I'm a bit jealous since the idea wasn't hot when I got married. I'm not bitter.

But on to this baby shower thing. I'm almost 30 weeks pregnant. I got 10 to go and most of these "experts" in the magazines and baby books all suggest having showers about 2 months before Baby is due. Okay, well that's easy to type, but how do I get it done? I'm a total doer, and I have no shame asking someone if they'd be willing to help me throw my own shower. But apparently, that's not proper etiquette. So with a mom in Little Rock and a sister in Hot Springs, both 4-5 hours away, how am I supposed to have a shower? I've already had people asking me when I am having a shower and I have nothing to offer them other than where I've registered.

So the other day I was talking with a friend without the intent to sucker someone into it, but good ol' Allyson Neely overheard and offered to throw me a shower! So maybe I should just ask? What are your thoughts? I know of a couple others who would be happy to throw me a shower if they were close enough for it to be possible - Jani and Sara S. and probably Sara C. So let me know what you would do in my shoes. I'm curious. Thanks!

Week 28

2009-07-22T14:56:00.004-05:00

So pregnancy for me is now in the home stretch. I still feel pretty great. I'm sure I will be tilting ever closer to the uncomfortable mark day after day. But you can always pray with me that it doesn't happen that way. I wouldn't mind the extra boost.

So many things to think about and plan and wonder. Luckily, since I'm in a state of peace about motherhood and the whole labor and delivery scenario, I don't have any wild fears or apprehensions to deal with at the moment. I was speaking to a group of high risk teens at a camp close by last Friday. One gal asked me, "Are you going to push that baby out?" I just smiled and told her, "Not right now. But whenever Baby decides to come I'll have to or else have a C-section." She had a look of fear mixed with awe on her face. I bet she is 13 or so. I hope that idea of pushing out a baby will help her to make wise and healthy choices during her teens and young adult years.

I also went to a breastfeeding workshop last night. That was good. A doula was there to explain her services if any of us ladies would like to employ her. I was pretty impressed. And her rates weren't bad at all for all that she commits to doing. She had this interesting "dilation chart" visual aid that she uses to help women progress in labor mentally to employ their bodies to progress as well. It was simple squares of thin, colored foam (the flexible kind) that had different sizes of dilation - 1cm all the way to 10 cm - cut out. I told her I needed one for my sex ed classes. That would be quite the visual aid.

We still have no idea on a girl name though. I thought about Gracie. Any thoughts? I don't know. Edie sounds good too. We'll see, I guess. And Monte and I will be getting photographed, thanks to Allyson Neely, here in 3.5 weeks or so to have some visual memories of later pregnancy. I am blessed so far not to have any stretch marks yet and hope that it will not happen at all, especially before the pictures are taken.

We've also been very blessed to get baby furniture passed down to us, as well as quite a bit of gender neutral clothing - onesies, sleepers, etc. We will not have to purchase quite a few of the big items either - stroller, swing, bouncer, etc. Yay! I'm tellin' ya. The less ridiculous you are about getting everything just perfect long before baby arrives the more God has an opportunity to bless you. He definitely will provide. In every way. Stay faithful and take a deep breath. Life is good with God in control.

2009-07-15T17:48:00.000-05:00

Roxy's Brush with Death

2009-06-16T20:45:00.002-05:00

So Roxy decided to dine on some D-Con mouse poison this past weekend while at my in-laws. Somehow the door into the garage got left open enough for the girls to slip through and sniff around. Like any good hound, Roxy let her nose do the thinking. Apparently, they make the stuff to be somewhat enticing to mice in order for them to ingest it. And so Roxy thought it would be tasty as well. Luckily, I was curious as to where the dogs were, called for them, and when Roxy came to me she had the box of poison in her mouth! I knew immediately that we had an issue to resolve and quickly.

We called out vet who was not available. It was Saturday, and he was probably off of work. Okay, next option - call a local vet. Now we were in small town Iowa. Good thing for my emotions and for Roxy's health that there was a clinic open. The vet tech advised how to induce vomiting to remove all the pellets from her stomach. Unfortunately for Stella, we didn't know if Roxy had been the only one to partake of the turquoise pellet feast. So both dogs had to endure and only minutes later we knew Roxy was the only one. Then off we went to the clinic where both girls got Vitamin K shots just in case. The poison's job is to prevent blood from clotting which causes internal bleeding. Vitamin K helps clot blood and to counteract the ill affects of the poison. We got 2 more shots for the next day for both dogs and advised to see our local vet as soon as possible when we got home. Now Roxy got another shot yesterday morning as well as crimson colored jelly bean Vitamin K pills to take twice daily.

All the symptoms we were told that would indicate a medical emergency have not happened and would have happened within 48 hours of the ingestion. Roxy is totally fine and proves that over and over by her ridiculous excitement that seems to explode from her every time someone comes in the house. And it was good for us because had it not been known what she was doing, Monte and I would be absolute messes right now from grief. Tears aren't far away these days as pregnancy progresses. I wasn't far from losing it when I took the box of poison out of her mouth. But we can all now breathe a sigh of relief. We just need to make sure that Roxy never has that chance again since she probably has made no connection to all these events from which to learn to stay away.

And Baby Hunt is doing well. He/she is rolling, flipping, kicking, punching, doing Tae Bo and who knows what else in there. It's amazing how the movement is visible from the outside too. I've got a kickboxer in there, I just know it. Until next time...

Quick Rant

2009-06-01T15:08:00.002-05:00

Okay, so ever since I've been old enough to understand our government in the most basic sense, I have realized that government assistance is something for those in need. Right? Well, apparently even people who should know better think they should just use it since it's available and they "qualify" according to the government's standards. Well, so do I, but taking advantage of government assistance when I'm in no form of need for it is, in principal, irresponsible.

Knowing all this, I can't seem to find a good platform to really educate a certain group of people on this subject. Ironically enough, most of the people who take advantage of these programs when not really in need are in fact those who stand politically against the advancement of these exact programs. These are people who would most likely categorize themselves in the conservative side of politics where government programs are wished to be minimized, if not abolished, and given to the states if they so wish to issue the same.

Now, the main category of government assistance to which I'm referring is Medicaid. I counsel women who NEED to get on Medicaid. It's serving them a huge purpose. Then there are those, typically Bible college students in my experience, who think that since they want to have a baby, despite still being in school and having very little income and having been married for usually only a short time, that they will and will let the taxpayers pick up the bill without any thought to planning, saving, delaying gratification, which is a sign of maturity, or thinking about how it will influence those around them. Part of the issue here is the sense of entitlement that this current generation and my own definitely have. I have to fight pretty hard sometimes to remind myself that I don't just deserve anything. And especially if I want respect of those older, I better be willing to work hard for what I'd like to have or achieve or else it's not as fulfilling. The other part of the issue I think is emotional. I fought my maternal urges for 3.5 years before I finally got pregnant, only to miscarry. Luckily, I'm pregnant again and get to enjoy this venture. It's not easy to ward this off, especially when you love someone as much as I love Monte and want to share that experience with that person. I totally understand. However, reason and rational thinking have to be a part of family planning, and if any group of people in the great country need to excel at family planning, it's Christians! And I think the 3rd part of the issue is that men aren't allowed or expected to be an active participant in fertility planning. Our society has tried to deem it a women's issue and so men are now very hands off. However, Christian couples need to understand that it's a 50/50 team effort and that men need to forsee the rational side of this when their wives are consumed with the emotional. Trust me, I know. It wasn't long ago that Monte and I had many discussions on having kids soon. His hesistance was not what I wanted, but it was the best choice for our marriage. And now, after 5.5 yrs of marriage, we can thoroughly enjoy this pregnancy without the stress of school, poverty level income, me having to work, and how we're going to pay for all the medical bills.

Maybe another part of the issue is also the lack of vision. When we are future focused, things in the present become much more important and pivotal. It's less of the fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants mentality and more of the thinking of actions today affecting outcomes tomorrow. If I had to be pregnant during college, I would quit. I want to fully enjoy the experience of pregnancy and having a new baby at home. Plus, it's super stressful. Why put more stress on myself than what I already have? Baby isn't going to benefit from that.

So I say, Bible college students, chill out, relax, enjoy each phase of life in due time. Trust me, you have a long time to have babies and get married and be the picturesque couple. Do one main thing and do it well. Don't spread yourself so thin that you can't remember what you did yesterday. And by all means, don't pass off your medical bills to the government. More of you out there doing that means more of a burden on society and we already have plenty of people dipping into those funds who aren't nearly as informed as you are. Research, plan, save. You'll be proud you did.

I'm Back

2009-05-29T09:01:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's been a while. If you've been regularly checking up on my blog, I apologize for the staleness of it lately. I have a few reasons for not being actively blogging.

First of all, the big setback was the miscarriage I had last fall. I pretty much took a nosedive from being social and had to heal for a long time before being comfortable with sharing again. It's amazing how vulnerable that experience can make a person feel. Not only because of the lack of control but because of how little it's spoken about in public and by those who have had similar experiences. It's one of those subjects we know is there but is seldom discussed in a healthy manner.

Secondly, I got pregnant again in January, and this time everything is great! I'm currently at 20 wks and 6 days. So I've especially been pretty consumed with the idea and all that goes along with it. In fact, this morning was the first time I actually could see that little baby in there moving around. Fascinating! So cool. We are not finding out the gender. And we actually missed our best opportunity to get the most accurate assessment from the sonographer last Friday. All we know and need to know is that our little baby is healthy and all the major functions of the body are in working order. So we're satisfied.

Thirdly, Monte has been pursuing a ministry to take over as his full time employment. There have been many steps in this process. It's been quite a learning period for us both. The first stage was to lay himself out there in front of those churches with openings available. Then we waited. And waited and waited and waited. So for months, nothing happened. Then, about 2 months ago he was slammed with 5 churches interested all at once. One was even for a position he did not apply for and is actually better than the one he did! So we've been interviewing and traveling some. And when it's not for a church he'll eventually work for full time, he's been playing and leading for two churches locally to help out and gain some valuable experience and some enriching mentoring in the process.

That's why. So stick close. I'll be more present with my blog from now on. I hope that this update helps some of you Amy trackers to know what's going on. Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine!

Elections

2008-11-09T17:59:00.002-06:00

So things in the USA have been pretty crazy. My take on the whole experience has been unique due to different circumstances. I've become more and more disenchanted with politics as I've gotten older and as I am becoming more and more knowledgeable of God's Word. My first responsibility in voting is to honor God in my vote. So I take God's Word and find the things that are definitely not up for argument in regards to politics - mainly moral issues like abortion, homosexual issues, other deviant behavior, and taking care of widows and orphans in their times of distress. This election, like most, due to the political platforms of each major party, I am abruptly stopped in my need to continue much further in my research. This saddens me since the people in this country are capable of so much good, especially with our abundance. There should be less discussion on moral issues like those listed above since they shouldn't be up for argument anyway, hence the whole definition of the word "moral." But alas, people "interpret" things differently and we have the right to do so in the USA.

But then I think on these moral issues. The most controversial of all is, of course, abortion. Since my training and short experience working in a crisis pregnancy facility, I've learned quite a few things. First of all, neither side has been good at focusing on the women involved in these pregnancies. Both are focused on "the problem." But the baby is really not the main problem. These women are hurting and broken. They have been bombarded with propaganda from both radical sides of this issue that was agenda-focused and not client focused. If anyone wants to get through to these women and help them with their real problems and their pregnancies, then love needs to be the driving force behind any institution that claims to be at their service. Secondly, most women feel manipulated by the abortion industry after the fact. A huge percentage of women, close to 95%, who have had abortions, felt that they were not given enough information beforehand to make the best choice, which also led them to regret their abortion decision. Some of this information is their emotional roller coaster to endure either soon or years down the road that can lead to a 3-6x higher suicide rate than the average person. Hello! Maybe pro-choice isn't so great after all since it's not usually the most informed choice. And pro-life should mean pro-mother's life as well as baby's. Thirdly, the focus from most in the political arena on the pro-choice side is mostly for the "right" to be kept. In all honesty, I don't believe our right to terminate a consequence of what is usually a very consensual act for our own convenience or expedience is a very honorable right. And usually those fighting to keep this right haven't ever and probably won't ever find themselves in this situation. Unfortunately, the need for something like abortion is just a major symptom of some even deeper problems in our country.

All of this election season has also gotten me thinking about the rampant selfishness in our nation. Some people have been pouting and sitting on their hands these last eight years either politically and/or in their own community. The effort seems to be stimulated by whether or not your party is in power. This goes both ways. Shame on us Christians for doing the same when a non-Conservative we don't agree with is in the White House. This is not what God calls us to do. He tells us to pray for those in authority because that authority, whether or not used for good, came from Him. And I agree with Shawn Hannity when he says that he wishes that Obama is a good president. He wishes him well regardless of their vastly different positions because his term as president will affect us all whether we like him or not. Our futures depend on a good political season each and every time a president takes office. Our prayers should empower that person and aid in their stressful decision making day in and day out.

One more thing before I leave. I did not vote for Obama. I'll tell you a couple reasons why. I checked him out from before his campagin began last year. He is not the same man he was in his campaign that he had been before running for president. And that shows a huge lack of character. I didn't fall for any schmoozing. He played the middle road very well during his campagin despite being even more liberal than Hillary beforehand. If he stays that way, then maybe he'll be more inclined to relate to more of his constitutents, since the popular vote was 51% to 48%. And I did not vote for Mr. Obama because he lied to people on tv time and time again and people would just eat it up. Sigh...I wasn't excited about voting this election since I knew that no matter who won there would be mass amounts of hate and irritation running thick through our country about something we now have to live with no matter what.

Change is something we can all control. And if we want to see real change happen, it starts with you and me every day as we interact with others and live out our convictions. It begins with loving and serving others and making the most of our situations no matter how irritated we are. I'll never rely on government to change my outlook on life, my financial situation, or my success. That is entirely up to me. And it's seen through my eyes on how well I've done in life. As long as our land is free, these statements will always be true. Be proud of your country no matter who sits in the oval office. You'd be amazed at how better you'll feel when you start to be positive and encouraging instead of condemning and pessimistic. I'm out!

Debates

2008-10-02T23:43:00.002-05:00

So we have been pretty tied up in the debates of late. We're looking forward to next Tuesday when McCain and Obama square off again. Just one quick note from tonight's debate, which I believe went well for both VP candidates. Gov. Palin referenced a quote from Biden about Obama not being ready for the position of commander in chief. I wondered about its validity since words get twisted and such when politicians talk. But it checks out. Here's what I found:http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/8/21/41158/2877. This is just one among others. Apparently, Biden wasn't a huge fav of the left to begin with. But whatever. It's done. There are several other places that report this same finding. The quote was from August of '07, which wasn't that long ago in the realm of the politcal process of finding a pres. candidate.

Dennis Miller was in normal form tonight on Leno. He had an interesting take on the candidates, both pres and VP. I'm just "enjoying my view" as I'm told to do at the end of every broadcast with Whoopi, Elizabeth, Joy, Barbara, and Sherri. Do the same. We only have 33 days left! Let the countdown begin.

True Peace

2008-09-22T08:55:00.002-05:00

I was taking in the Prime Time Emmy Awards show last night. It didn't take long for me to be irritated by what I heard. It was a bit lame as far as the hosting went - 5 reality show hosts - come on! There were some funny things here and there, but overall it was not a great awards show. I'm sure the ratings prove that.

But there was a comment made by Tommy Smothers of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" from way back in the 60s that really made me wonder his ability to think clearly.

Preface - no matter how you feel about the war, we all know that despite all our efforts to make others like us who desire peace that there are still those who will never choose to work things out through rational discussion and peace talks. Some people will never change or back down with their violence. And we need to fully understand and accept that. Until we do, our nation will always be divided with protesters who complain more than inspire good during a bad time.

Mr. Smothers said two comments, actually, that caught my attention. His first was referring to the current administration and "watching ignorance in action." His second was his definition of truth. I hope he wasn't really serious. If he was, his personal definition was severely flawed. He said that truth was whatever you could convince someone else to believe. That is just absolutely amazing! Despite the weird and poorly delivered comments no matter their stance on our government, his whole acceptance speech for this award was odd, disjointed, and vague. It almost seemed he suffered from mental hindrances.

True peace should be focused on man to man, woman to woman. For some reason, people choose to only hone in on the big war that our government is responsible for. Why? If you have read your constitution lately, the federal government is charged with our "general welfare" and safety. War is one of their things if they so deem worthy. And I think the fact that another big nasty attack on our homeland has NOT happened in the past 7 years is a huge gain for the USA . But, again, so many choose to focus on things they cannot change and protest and use their rights to express themselves instead of choosing to turn their irritation and lack of power with the war into good. Some suggestions would be to have relief packs for soldiers returning from war - including things like date night freebies for spouses who've been separated for months, grocery coupons for the fam, free child care for the date nights, etc.

When we focus more on doing good for our neighbors and those who've given more than we could ever dream for our "rights", I think we'll get it. Maybe we'll finally get it. I think we can no matter your political stance. Oh, and truth is truth no matter what you personally believe. It cannot be swayed by anyone's opinions. "the true or actual state of a matter", "a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like" - dictionary.com

I know this post might seem a bit deep, but it was on my mind.

Birthday/Election Time

2008-08-31T15:36:00.002-05:00

So this monumental and pivotal election is going to happen just two days after my 27th birthday. I can't really say I've enjoyed much of the campaigning so far. It gets me pondering. Even though the candidates aren't really doing much mud slinging yet, I'm not looking forward to any new TV ads nearly as much as I am the debates. I guess they've already agreed to 3 presidential debates and 1 VP debate. Bring it! I want to see what answers they all have. I want to get a feel for their motives and goals in this race and whether or not they would do this job without all the perks - secret service, salary, etc. It would be cool to hear that some big shot politician decided to use his or her salary to offset the costs of running his/her office and would rather use his or her personal investments, funds, and the likes to pay his own bills. I mean, do you know how much each state senator uses of public money to get to and from DC? And then they have staff and administrative costs that are all paid for by us. Not that it's a bad thing, but I don't think it's a very modestly run profession, which means that more money is used to fund their lush offices than goes back into the country's needs. If you're going to demand money out of my check without my authorization, then you can at least take that seriously and not blow it on unnecessary expenditures. That's the bulk of what I ask. Oh, and I don't think the government has my best interests in mind when it comes to my social security. I know how to invest for retirement and the guarantee of that money being invested depends on me. So if I want a good retirement, I'll be doing the necessary research and payments into my IRA, as well as diversifying my investments elsewhere. The government needn't worry itself with that. That's all. I just like what money I do make to be under my discretion. Simple, right? Yeah.

July

2008-08-09T14:19:00.003-05:00

It seems that July came and went without much hesitation. Man!

I ended the month with a fun trip to Dallas. It was business related as I attended Seminar 2008 for Mary Kay. Five different gatherings of women came to Dallas during July to attend Seminar 2008 back to back ending with my group, the Pearl seminar. Not only were our corporate staff utterly exhausted from working almost nonstop for 3 weeks, but it was crazy hot in the Big D. This is Christi Campbell, my National Sales Director's daughter and a Senior Sales Director herself driving a beautiful pearlized pink Caddy CTS, I believe. She's tons of fun.

It's now August. Where has the time gone? Enjoy the rest of your summer!

New Glasses

2008-07-24T13:11:00.005-05:00

So I went to America's Best a few weeks ago and voila! I have two pairs of glasses. Yes, two. Not that I need two, but they strike a great bargain there and why not take it? It's about the same price with just one pair.

Please let me know what you think and which pair you find more appealing. Of course, I have my more studious, intellectual pair. The others are more for every day wear. Comments encouraged.

Today I got a call from Jessica at Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Jasper and Newton Counties. Monte and I were both welcomed into the program after we had our home visit and interviews on Tuesday. This means that we are now both going to be paired with "Littles" and we can then start the mentoring process. With any new endeavor, I'm a little overzealous in my plans. They'll probably tone down by the time we actually get together for the first time. I get to meet the parent of a little on Monday who will hopefully be my pal for 1-4 hours each week. I'm really excited!

Have a great Thursday. It's my brother's-in-law birthday today. Happy Birthday!

Watching Pride and Prejudice today after I've been told over and over again that it's so amazing. Monte's at work. Perfect timing. We'll also be enjoying the company of some of Monte's family this weekend to celebrate the first birthday of a little one.

Until next time...

A Gift

2008-07-19T09:51:00.003-05:00

So I'm an avid Bible reader. I was checking out some passages that reflected some points of prayer for Monte. It came from this chart I made from the book "The Power of a Praying Wife." It includes all the things that we, as wives, should pray about concerning our husbands. This one was on his work. As most of you know, Monte is currently in transition from traveling with Believe and finding a ministry position at a church. So he's working at BioLife, a quality establishment, to pay the bills while the search continues for a church where he will be utilized the most for God's glory.

In this daily prayer regimen, I read these passages and then lift up a prayer for my dear, sweet hubby. He's so great. He really does spoil me. It's just too bad that the compliments I receive about him are probably not anywhere close to the ones he may or may not receive about me. Let's just say that I'm vocal and not everyone likes vocal. On to the subject at hand. I read a verse in Ecclesiastes, chapter 5. Verse 19 reads, "Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift of God." Whoa! I'd say so. This is what Monte desires for his work one day. Not that what he is doing right now isn't good. But it's not the fulfillment of his talents or the culmination of his studies and experience put into practice. His passions and drives in his work ability are not utilized at a plasma donation center. That's why I keep praying. And if you know anything about this book in the Bible, King Solomon basically refrains time and time again that life is meaningless. So when he included this verse, I'd say he meant every bit of it.

If you do get to enjoy your work, you're lucky. Thank God for it. It's a gift.

Poor Use of Words & True Peace

2008-07-18T16:10:00.003-05:00

Americans are so loose with words. It's a shame. Of course, all cultures have slang, contractions, shortcuts, etc. that are used in the common speech. But I'm not that old and I'm having a hard time keeping up with all of the lingo that I hear. Most of it is used with the younger crowd. I guess it's cyclical though. The youngin's of today will soon reach this point as well and wonder how they got so old in ten years after high school!

Another poor use of words was displayed as Jesse Jackson was caught saying some very inappropriate things regarding Barack Obama. Let's just all agree that someone in Jesse Jackson's position should never ever assume a microphone is off. I'd hate to be his publicist!

And then we see the drama on The View. I know this might seem to be a simplistic mindset of mine, but I see the divisiveness of race as man-made and fixable. Yes, fixable. God created one race - the human race. And it would be nice if we would teach our children that concept and live within our own existence and not those of our ancestors. Unfortunately, some think that I should never be able to live without the guilt of my ancestors even though I totally agree that anything that belittled another human like slavery is absolutely wrong. I should not be accountable for their misdeeds. Luckily, God can make good come from bad situations and our nation has benefited greatly from our diversification. Just think of what we would be like had our history been different.

And I happened to see a snippet of an interview with Mr. Taye Diggs. Although he is an extremely handsome man who happens to be a very successful thespian, I was greatly disappointed by his words. He spoke as if Elizabeth Hasselback carried part of the responsibility for the creation of "that word" because people with similar skin color were the ones who came up with it. Mr. Diggs, she had nothing to do with that word's origin.

Why can't we move towards a place in the USA where we choose not to be angry about things we can't change? All that energy could be channeled towards a greater good. It begins with dismissing those who are thoughtless and use words to hurt others or stir them to anger, not defending or justifying them based on their ethnic background, political party, economic status, gender, etc. We can all use what influence we have to reach out and embrace our similarities instead of our differences. Let's get along one with another. That, my friends, is true peace. Do I sound like a public service announcement? Maybe.

Our Newest Niece

2008-07-15T09:02:00.003-05:00

We just got back from a trip to Arkansas to see my family. Monte had a three day weekend from work and we figured we better take advantage of it. Gas was never over $4/gal luckily. We pray it stays under $4 until after we go back at the beginning of August when we vacation in Hot Springs.

We got to see our newest niece. Her name is Addison. You can check her out here. Of course, she doesn't look exactly the same now since this picture is a few weeks old. But she was born on June 5th and is pretty stinkin' cute. I have to say that I have never in my life seen so much fussing and ridiculousness over a baby. I can almost guarantee that my own mother didn't fuss over her own children like she does little Addi. But I guess that's expected. She's not exhausted from nighttime feedings and the recovery from delivering a child.

We had a good time in AR. I went to hang out with my friend Nancy and I had a surprise visitor waiting for me...It was Drea! That was a nice bonus. I love that girl. I love both of them. She has this sweet new Mustang she's driving around like she's the queen of Tulsa or something. I'm a tad jealous of the speed and hotness of her car. But she said I can drive it when I come visit. Looking forward to it.

We also hung out with the Gililland Family (AKA G-lands). They are like second parents and younger siblings. That was fun. We had a great time around the dinner table over some yummy eats - Little Caesars' pizza. Have a great week and don't forget to take the poll to the right!

New Poll

2008-07-15T08:59:00.005-05:00

I am in no way trying to be crass or inappropriate with my new poll. But I'd like a little insight to the male's mind. So tell your male friends and have them vote. I have it open until the end of July. It's strictly anonymous in case any guy was concerned about his voice being heard.

I Miss My Friends

2008-07-01T10:11:00.003-05:00

Well, I had to say goodbye to my best friend and her hubby the other day. They were able to visit us from Louisville, KY and then attend a wedding this past weekend. We love, love, love Max & Sara and wish we could live closer. We're all praying that this happens in some way. You can join us.

This seems to be the case with many of my close friends. Most of you know that Martin and Jani had to move back to South Africa and that others of my closest pals have moved away for work or other very substantial reasons. Luckily, the internet has been a huge help in keeping in touch. However, there is nothing quite like a real hug or actually looking into your friends' eyes to survey their tone of voice and sense of emotion behind their conversations. I will never underestimate time spent in person with my friends. They are memories I carry with me and refer to often for comfort, a good laugh, or just to reminisce. I'm sure most of you probably agree with me. And I'm sure you have friends that are separated from you for a time as well.

On a lighter note, Max & Sara taught us this game called Bananagrams while they were here. It was quite fun. It's a good mix between a crossword puzzle and Scrabble. Plus, it's interesting to see what words are swimming around in others' heads. (snicker) I won't tell on anyone via internet. You're lucky! You know who you are...

Reach out and hug your friends who are close. Appreciate the time you have with them and never forget that life can take them out of your reach in a flash. Until next time...

(P.S. If you haven't witnessed Max & Sara's wedding dance video, you can find it on YouTube.)

A normal day

2008-06-24T08:30:00.003-05:00

Let's be funky. Colored font. That's one way.

Fun times. Woke up to the sound of a puking dog about 5:15 am. Finally got up about 6:30 after her hacking and smacking kept happening every few minutes. Agh! Oh, yeah. Did I mention the poop and pee along with the vomit? After some grass cud and some steamed rice with chicken stock, Roxy stopped shaking and curled up on the couch with a throw pillow for some well deserved catch up sleep. Us? We sipped our coffee, read our Bibles and books, wrote in our journals, and made our to-do lists for the day. (Hmmm...I wonder if I can squeeze getting pregnant in there...) A normal day. How sweet that phrase!

If only it were true. I think about the time. It's after 8 am! And I'm not at a job. It's great, but then I think of my buddies who are still working. My face falls. They too would like this kind of morning. Of course, minus the dog excrements. But along with this morning I get bills that I'm still responsible for paying and no guarantee of a certain paycheck every two weeks. Self-employment. It's a wonderful thing. Luckily, I'm not your average girl. I say, "Bring on the bills!" I mean, bring on the regular bills. I don't want any new ones. (Unless, it's for an OB visit! Ha!) Keep praying.

Here's a little Yellowstone for ya. I had this printed and put it up in our living room yesterday. It's nice.

Til next time.

Fitness/Landscaping Update

2008-06-20T10:48:00.008-05:00

I know it's an odd pair, but both are important to me.

Progress! And it's only been 8 days. That makes it even better. After eating very well (with a few pieces of key lime pie in the mix) and working out every day but Sunday I've lost a total of 5.75 inches! That's from my thighs and waist for the most part. Pretty impressive. I lost 1.5 inches from my waist alone! That was nice. So my clothes fit better and I feel more toned.

Landscaping: Things are in full bloom. Here are some pictures: before landscaping (awesome lawn) and from last week. The garden will be posted soon once all the herbs are in the ground. Enjoy!

Signing off, from the job, that is

2008-06-17T12:58:00.003-05:00

Hey guys and gals, I'm now going to be free from the daily grind as of tomorrow at 5:01 pm. Exciting, huh? I'll be launching into much awaited volunteering and other very productive, but non-paid activites. I'll still be pursuing my Mary Kay business. Seeing as I am a "user" I'll need to keep supporting my habit. This activity, of course, is paid. Let me know if you need my beauty and skin care services. I'd be happy to oblige. (shameless plug)

I've also started working out again. I purchased the Ultimate Results package from Turbo Jam and can already tell a difference in my clothes after just 4 days! I'll be reporting on my accomplishments for this every couple of weeks or so. Most of you won't care about my process to get fit (yeah, guys). Part of this process is limiting the amazing food Monte makes for me. I can handle the sore muscles from sculpting workouts and fatigue from cardio. But I love to eat. My willpower will be tested and tried.

Coming soon...pics of our landscaping and garden...

Tag, I'm It, I Guess

2008-06-12T15:41:00.000-05:00

My Joys:

My Hubby
His Cooking
My Girls, Stella & Roxy

My Fears:

Being attacked
Losing a loved one
Missing the best opportunities

My Goals:

To be a great mom while still being a fabulous wife
To build a home customized for us
To spend two weeks in Hawaii!

My Current Obsessions/Collections:

I Don't Obsess or Collect...

Random Surprising Facts About Me:

I don't enjoy watching LOST. (Gasp!)
I'd rather be outside than inside most days.
I actually enjoy mowing the lawn.

Tag Your It